Rain Rain Don't Go Away

Its been raining non stop for 3 days now.  So much for the Sunshine state.  We watched as the three inches of rain turned into a giant lake in the grass.  I love the rain.  Something about a gray sky and drizzle makes me feel comforted.  To bad it was warm rain, otherwise I could snuggle up on my couch and eat a bowl of soup or drink a steaming cup of hot coco.

I walked outside to watch it storm this afternoon.

don't be alarmed by the loud gushes of wind and thunder

A favorite song:

Well it's raining and it's pouring
and my old man, well he is snoring
rainy day stay
rainy day please stay
rain rain don't go away, the sun can come back another day
rainy day please stay

                               -Priscilla Ahn 

Thoughts

Sometimes you just need to step away and let you thoughts wonder.

Today was a rainy day.  The air was misty and left my skin feeling damp and my glasses foggy.  I stepped outside after a long meeting and took a deep breathe.  It smelled tropical and green.  A hawk circled above me and the cicadas buzzed on and off.  Fall may be just around the corner for some, but here I think it may stay summer for a few more months!

Hurricane Irene

We are all holding our breathe right now.  Miss Hurricane Irene is heading our way.  She is expected to turn into a category 3 by Thursday!  We made sure our hurricane kit was ready and we had food and water.  I'm praying that it stays east and misses us.  We'll see...

University of Virginia

When I was in 6th grade, my parents took us on vacation to the east coast.  We spent time exploring D.C. and all of the Smithsonian's, visiting Gettysburg, staying in a cabin in the woods of Virginia.  We saw Monticello and Mount Vernon.  While in Virginia I remember visiting the University of Virginia.  Thomas Jefferson's old stomping grounds.  We walked around the campus and I remember sneaking into an empty classroom and my dad pretending to be our professor.

I got to visit UVA again this weekend.  My friend's wedding was just 10 minutes away so we walked around awhile before the ceremony.  It was beautiful.  Very collegiate.  Pillars and ivy and old brick buildings.  We wandered through "The Lawn" which is were undergraduates can live.  One of the students was moving into her room and she showed us around.  It was like stepping back in time a few hundred years.  Every room comes with a secretary desk, a working fireplace, and dark wood molding. Oh and don't forget the rocking chair. 

There is a list in every room where you can find the name of everyone who has lived in that room.  It went all the way back until 1896!

 

 

The Lawn

Bobby's First Visit to the Captial

We got to spend some time in Washington D.C. on our trip.  I love D.C.  The history is incredible and there is so much to see and do.  Bobby's first trip to our nation's capital was very successful and we jammed packed as much sight seeing as humanly possibly in 6 hours.

A Southern Wedding

My beautiful friend Jodi got married this weekend in Charlottesville, VA.  It was one of the most beautiful weddings I've ever been too, with James Madison's estate in the background and the smell of magnolia's and English roses filling the air.  As we waited under the summer sun, the violinist began playing Ashokan's Farewell while the bridal party walked down the little hill.  When Jodi appeared it took my breathe away.  She was stunning and so happy!  I spent the evening with my lovely friend Laura (the three of us became instant friends while studying abroad in Italy 6 years ago), enjoying this perfect southern wedding.

 

 

 

Unwanted Lab Visitor

One of my jobs as Collections Manager is pest management.  I have to say though, since I've moved to Florida this part of my job has taken a backseat, not that it was ever my favorite.  I set up my little bug traps and then secretly forget about them.

This is why:

I am posting this with my hand covering my eyes. 

1984

I was born in the year 1984.  I secretly wish that I had been born a few years earlier so I could have enjoyed the 80's to their fullest.  I love the hair and the clothes.  The easiness that life seemed to portray.  Scrunchies, teased bangs, leggings and over-sized sweaters.  I especially love watching movies from the 80's.  My favorite of all being Three Men and a Baby.  I am secretly in love with Tom Selleck and  I remember watching Magnum P.I. when I would stay home sick from school.  There is just something about him.

This past Christmas my work had a gift exchange (white elephant style).  My boss received a certain gift which he was eagerly trying to get rid of.  I told him that if no one stole it from him, I would be happy to take it off his hands.  He willingly agreed, but right at the end one of the security officers swiped it.  I was a little disappointed.

A few weeks ago, I was cleaning out my office and was getting rid of some books.  I knew that the same security officer was interested in one of the books so I set it aside to give to him.  The next day he came into my office with his hands behind his back.  In exchange for the book he had something for me.  He walked over and put down the white elephant gift on my desk.  I laughed and couldn't believe it!  He told me he had remembered how much I had liked the gift and thought that I would enjoy it more than he had.  Indeed I am!

A new flower vase for the table!

sun

I saw an orange glow coming from the upstairs window tonight.  I ran outside to see the most beautiful sunset.  It has been raining all day and to see the bright orange's and purple's light up the sky made me smile.

Hello

I feel like my blogs have dwindled a bit.  I've actually sat down about 5 different times this week to wow you all with my words but I've been too distracted.  Here are my daily distractions:

1.  MAD MEN.  yes.  my parents started watching this awhile ago and now Netflix has all the seasons on instant watch.  INSTANT WATCH!  This means that I don't just get to watch 1 episode, but about 4 in a row.  Even though I have very strong feelings against how women were oogled at in those "olden days" I admire their ability to take pride in how they looked.  I am struggling a lot these days with taking the time to get ready in the morning.  I always feel better when I look my best, so thanks Mad Men for helping me bring out that cherry red lipstick and my bobby-pins.

2.  My sister.  As you know from my last post, my lovely other half was here for almost two weeks!  It was amazing and we spent every evening together so I of course did not have time to blog

3.  The heat.  It is just too hot to sit by my computer, which generates an additional 83 degrees into my room.  The air is already to sticky and gross and the only way I can think of to get around this problem is to blog naked or don't blog at all.

4.  Idrissi.  The name of my friend's cat.  (He was named after the famous Muslim cartographer Al-Idrissi.  I'm very disappointed in all of you for not knowing who that was.)  Idrissi is the cutest thing ever and Bobby and I have been so excited to be babysitting this 16 pound black fur ball.

Well that about does it.  And for those of you who follow the weather, Tropical Storm Emily has dissipated over Haiti so we are for now in the clear of any nasty weekend weather.  phew.